What do you think?
Rate this book
The Big Disrupter
Idealistic entrepreneur Lionel Lane is struggling with his San Francisco-based company Double Vision Beverages. His only hope is winning the biggest social entrepreneur award ever, the one billion dollar Big Disrupter. Desperate, he partners with his brilliant ex-girlfriend Maxine Gold.
Lionel and Maxine expand Double Vision into energy drinks in the mountains of Telluride, Colorado, with the help of a talented 21-year-old extreme skier, Reddi Christiansen.
One by one the leading competitors in the Big Disrupter fall victim to unexplained tragedies. The police are mystified. The prize for social good becomes a relentless death trap. Lionel, Maxine and Reddi turn to a former Navy SEAL cyber guru. The faster they race the more the escalating dangers threaten to spin them off a cliff.
Lionel and Maxine expand Double Vision into energy drinks in the mountains of Telluride, Colorado, with the help of a talented 21-year-old extreme skier, Reddi Christiansen.
One by one the leading competitors in the Big Disrupter fall victim to unexplained tragedies. The police are mystified. The prize for social good becomes a relentless death trap. Lionel, Maxine and Reddi turn to a former Navy SEAL cyber guru. The faster they race the more the escalating dangers threaten to spin them off a cliff.
468 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2014
4 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
About the author
Paul Markun
3 books47 followersPaul Markun grew up in the Canal Zone of Panama. The youngest of four, his parents eventually moved to Washington, D.C. where he attended Sidwell Friends School. Paul met his wife Rachel, an attorney, when he was 18 and she was even younger at the University of Chicago.
His mother wrote a dozen children’s books and was a speech writer, but his parents’ stories of the Depression scared him so much he decided to be an entrepreneur first, make some money, and then pursue writing. That took longer than he planned. After three loving children, and thirty years in Silicon Valley, he finally figured it out.
License is his second novel. The Big Disrupter was the first in the series.
His mother wrote a dozen children’s books and was a speech writer, but his parents’ stories of the Depression scared him so much he decided to be an entrepreneur first, make some money, and then pursue writing. That took longer than he planned. After three loving children, and thirty years in Silicon Valley, he finally figured it out.
License is his second novel. The Big Disrupter was the first in the series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 13, 2014
So guess what, it turns out that "business thriller" is not an oxymoron! The Big Disrupter is an innovative and fast paced thriller that brings you inside the world of social entrepreneurs and their quest to build their business while doing some good in the world. The book centers around a competition with a one billion-dollar prize going to the company that has the greatest positive impact to the world. I confess that I forgot exactly how this contest is judged or how the do-gooding is measured, but I don't think that is terribly important. Needless to say, this prize has teeth, and not surprisingly, it draws out some tough competition including some characters who don't play by the rules.
In-it-to-win-it is Lionel Lane and his Double Vision beverage company which has a Tom's style one-for-one program, donating meals for each drink sold. I have a personal distaste for fancy parties disguised as "charitable events" which makes main character Lionel Lane quite endearing. Not only does he put his money where is mouth is, but also his blood, sweat and tears. There's one teensy problem, DV isn't doing so well and needs a energy drink-like jolt in the arm to survive and grow. In a venture capitalist driven power move, Lionel is virtually handcuffed with Maxine Gold as co-CEOs of Double Vision, and they have 6 months to turn things around, aiming to win the BD. Maxine is the ying to Lionel's yang, but every bit as hard working and driven as Lionel. As with any good buddy based quest, Maxine and Lionel have some history and a bit of tension between them.
Ok, so you get the setup. Of course, things are never as simple as executing on a well thought out business plan, which is what keeps things going. The energy drink theme was refreshing and provided ample opportunity to introduce an nice mix of side characters and settings including an extreme skier, a wolfdog, an investigative reporter, police detective, a beverage mix-master, a struggling VC, an ex-Navy SEAL to name a few. There are good guys and bad guys, and you don't always know which is which. I would also like to send kudos to the author for not slut-shaming Reddi for an assault that happened after a drinking binge.
So how was it? Darn good, especially for a first time author (at least of fiction, no doubt this author has written business plans, marking materials and sales pitches). As I mentioned earlier, it is fast paced and a real page turner. The chapters are just the right length and there are several plot bunnies happening at once, and he does a great job of keeping them all going.
In-it-to-win-it is Lionel Lane and his Double Vision beverage company which has a Tom's style one-for-one program, donating meals for each drink sold. I have a personal distaste for fancy parties disguised as "charitable events" which makes main character Lionel Lane quite endearing. Not only does he put his money where is mouth is, but also his blood, sweat and tears. There's one teensy problem, DV isn't doing so well and needs a energy drink-like jolt in the arm to survive and grow. In a venture capitalist driven power move, Lionel is virtually handcuffed with Maxine Gold as co-CEOs of Double Vision, and they have 6 months to turn things around, aiming to win the BD. Maxine is the ying to Lionel's yang, but every bit as hard working and driven as Lionel. As with any good buddy based quest, Maxine and Lionel have some history and a bit of tension between them.
Ok, so you get the setup. Of course, things are never as simple as executing on a well thought out business plan, which is what keeps things going. The energy drink theme was refreshing and provided ample opportunity to introduce an nice mix of side characters and settings including an extreme skier, a wolfdog, an investigative reporter, police detective, a beverage mix-master, a struggling VC, an ex-Navy SEAL to name a few. There are good guys and bad guys, and you don't always know which is which. I would also like to send kudos to the author for not slut-shaming Reddi for an assault that happened after a drinking binge.
So how was it? Darn good, especially for a first time author (at least of fiction, no doubt this author has written business plans, marking materials and sales pitches). As I mentioned earlier, it is fast paced and a real page turner. The chapters are just the right length and there are several plot bunnies happening at once, and he does a great job of keeping them all going.
December 23, 2015
Received a copy of The Big Disrupter by Paul Markun through the First Reads Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review
Lionel Lane is a self-made man that has lead him to be the owner and chief operating officer of a nutritional juice company called Double Vision. At its current state, his business is struggling mightily and Lionel has reached a crossroads with his San Francisco based company. "Cash is King" is not a mantra working in Double Vision's favour at this time despite their relative successes in the market. On the night of a big rewards banquet celebrating social consciousness Lionel is told by his resident CPA and Chief Financial Officer Harding Liu that Double Vision would be going bankrupt within thirty days if an investment into the company is not made within that time period. Lionel sees his nomination for social entrepreneur of the year as a significant point of interest for prospective venture capitalists. This reward for past success will be one to consider and one that he will put out in the forefront as a conversation starter for all the angels with deep pockets in the room. Maxine Gold is a financial advisor that went to Harvard with Lionel and at one point crossed paths and had a short fling. Maxine has floated around as a consultant for many companies but is looking for an opportunity to make it on her own. She is currently a board member for a company that is also a nominee for the award. Maxine is desperate to find a business to call her own and make her own mark in the business world.
At the end of the night both Maxine and Lionel are sore luck losers, but an announcement is made that in six months a big reward of one billion dollars will be awarded to a social business that disrupts the market for the betterment of mankind. The winner of The Big Disrupter will be determined first off by sales and positive customer response. It will also answer tough questions such as: is there a tangible benefit for society? is there a sustained impact over time? is the product solving a problem of a critical nature? For one billion dollars it must meet all of these criterion. With this latest news and the help of a legend in the financial community named Jacob Havermyer, both Maxine and Lionel will have the opportunity to achieve their dreams. Lionel wants to change the world and as a daring man in life as well as an entrepreneur he will do whatever it takes to reach his goals. Maxine wants to leave a legacy, before she does that Maxine wants to rid herself of the feeling that others have that she slept her way to the top, and the skepticism she feels that others have of her as a black woman in the corporate world. As a team, are these independent goals mutually inclusive or in their efforts to achieve them will they ruin everything they've gained up to this point?
With two new Co-CEO's to handle all the media interviews and government redtape, Double Vision wants to create a social media buzz, utilizing event marketing, to garner a much needed youthful enthusiasm. Part of their plan is to expand their product line into the caffeine/sugar driven drink and they will attack that market by promoting a vivacious young mountain woman from Telluride, Colorado named Reddi Christiansen. Reddi is an athletic, caring big sister to Hannah and dependable daughter to her father Larry. Her mother died of cancer three years prior and Larry is facing a big life changing decision for the whole family. Reddi is a competitive slopestyle skier and has dreams of winning the X-Games and competing in the Olympics. On one chance encounter she is given the ability to change her life and fulfill her life's dreams. The question is whether she will be able to handle the pressure that comes with the increased responsibility of having a multi-million dollar corporation relying on your results.
There are plenty of business and marketing principles and strategies being employed and scrutinized within this book. Being a graduate of a business program I found it to be really interesting and also accessible to people who hesitate in reading books with this kind of subject matter as there may be a fear that it may fly over their heads. You don't have to worry about price-earnings ratios or anything like that, with a simple knowledge of business fundamentals you will get through it just fine, with some fun along the way. My favourite underused character was Dasha Romanyuk. She had a great story with plenty of internal struggle and was truly a sympathetic character given her true intentions. I wish the reader would have had the opportunity to get to know her a bit more. With Russian, Ukrainian characters in past novels the reader has a preconceived notion as to their disposition. With Dasha it was different, or was it?
There weren't many surprises or twists and turns that I hope for when I am reading a book in this genre, but is was a solid read none the less. This story won't blow your mind, but it is written with great detail and information that will maintain your interest. If you like extreme daredevil entrepreneurs, explosions, seemingly average joe's free-climbing buildings, teetering on the precipice of a cliff, man made avalanches, counter-surveillance, Russian mafia, and other energy-charged episodes then this book is for you.
"If you know both yourself and your enemies, you can win numerous battles without jeopardy."
Lionel Lane is a self-made man that has lead him to be the owner and chief operating officer of a nutritional juice company called Double Vision. At its current state, his business is struggling mightily and Lionel has reached a crossroads with his San Francisco based company. "Cash is King" is not a mantra working in Double Vision's favour at this time despite their relative successes in the market. On the night of a big rewards banquet celebrating social consciousness Lionel is told by his resident CPA and Chief Financial Officer Harding Liu that Double Vision would be going bankrupt within thirty days if an investment into the company is not made within that time period. Lionel sees his nomination for social entrepreneur of the year as a significant point of interest for prospective venture capitalists. This reward for past success will be one to consider and one that he will put out in the forefront as a conversation starter for all the angels with deep pockets in the room. Maxine Gold is a financial advisor that went to Harvard with Lionel and at one point crossed paths and had a short fling. Maxine has floated around as a consultant for many companies but is looking for an opportunity to make it on her own. She is currently a board member for a company that is also a nominee for the award. Maxine is desperate to find a business to call her own and make her own mark in the business world.
At the end of the night both Maxine and Lionel are sore luck losers, but an announcement is made that in six months a big reward of one billion dollars will be awarded to a social business that disrupts the market for the betterment of mankind. The winner of The Big Disrupter will be determined first off by sales and positive customer response. It will also answer tough questions such as: is there a tangible benefit for society? is there a sustained impact over time? is the product solving a problem of a critical nature? For one billion dollars it must meet all of these criterion. With this latest news and the help of a legend in the financial community named Jacob Havermyer, both Maxine and Lionel will have the opportunity to achieve their dreams. Lionel wants to change the world and as a daring man in life as well as an entrepreneur he will do whatever it takes to reach his goals. Maxine wants to leave a legacy, before she does that Maxine wants to rid herself of the feeling that others have that she slept her way to the top, and the skepticism she feels that others have of her as a black woman in the corporate world. As a team, are these independent goals mutually inclusive or in their efforts to achieve them will they ruin everything they've gained up to this point?
With two new Co-CEO's to handle all the media interviews and government redtape, Double Vision wants to create a social media buzz, utilizing event marketing, to garner a much needed youthful enthusiasm. Part of their plan is to expand their product line into the caffeine/sugar driven drink and they will attack that market by promoting a vivacious young mountain woman from Telluride, Colorado named Reddi Christiansen. Reddi is an athletic, caring big sister to Hannah and dependable daughter to her father Larry. Her mother died of cancer three years prior and Larry is facing a big life changing decision for the whole family. Reddi is a competitive slopestyle skier and has dreams of winning the X-Games and competing in the Olympics. On one chance encounter she is given the ability to change her life and fulfill her life's dreams. The question is whether she will be able to handle the pressure that comes with the increased responsibility of having a multi-million dollar corporation relying on your results.
There are plenty of business and marketing principles and strategies being employed and scrutinized within this book. Being a graduate of a business program I found it to be really interesting and also accessible to people who hesitate in reading books with this kind of subject matter as there may be a fear that it may fly over their heads. You don't have to worry about price-earnings ratios or anything like that, with a simple knowledge of business fundamentals you will get through it just fine, with some fun along the way. My favourite underused character was Dasha Romanyuk. She had a great story with plenty of internal struggle and was truly a sympathetic character given her true intentions. I wish the reader would have had the opportunity to get to know her a bit more. With Russian, Ukrainian characters in past novels the reader has a preconceived notion as to their disposition. With Dasha it was different, or was it?
There weren't many surprises or twists and turns that I hope for when I am reading a book in this genre, but is was a solid read none the less. This story won't blow your mind, but it is written with great detail and information that will maintain your interest. If you like extreme daredevil entrepreneurs, explosions, seemingly average joe's free-climbing buildings, teetering on the precipice of a cliff, man made avalanches, counter-surveillance, Russian mafia, and other energy-charged episodes then this book is for you.
"In the past ten years in the U.S., energy drinks have grown from eight million dollars per year to over nine billion dollars. That's one thousand times bigger in ten years. Imagine doing that worldwide."
August 20, 2021
I won this book on Goodreads. I hate to give a bad review to a book I won, but this just didn’t appeal to me. The dialogue was not realistic.
October 16, 2014
"The Big Disrupter" by Paul Markun is a fast-paced, action-packed thriller that opens with social entrepreneur Lionel Lane struggling to find an infusion of cash to stem the bankruptcy haunting his San Francisco-based company Double Vision Beverages on the eve of the Big Disrupter, a challenge that will award a billion dollars to a lucrative company that promotes world change. What he doesn't expect is to be offered an infusion of cash that will allow him to expand his vision to include an energy drink line and to partner with the brilliant and aggressive capitalist Maxine Gold as CEO.
But, the headaches for Lionel have only just begun when he and the other competitors in the Big Disrupter are targeted, and two are killed. In a race against time to promote their new product, accidents continue happening and Lionel, Maxine and skier Reddi Christiansen the fresh-faced young image of the company turn for help to private investigator Trig Garcia, a former Navy Seal . With the deadline approaching, betrayal and danger escalating only Trig and the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) stand between them and their enemies.
Paul Markun sets the stage with a billion dollar award much like a Nobel prize for a social enterprise that will disrupt the market for the betterment of mankind. With every death, and accident he builds intensity and suspense as the plot thickens. In the rich setting of San Francisco and Telluride Paul Markun takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride of adventure that has the main characters facing an avalanche, assault by gunmen and a high speed chase. Mesmerizing from the first page to the last, the power plays, competitiveness and action never stops. As events unfold in a plot filled with liberal doses of humor, romance and a comedy of errors that has villains biting their nails, the story progresses steadily towards a climax that's exciting and gripping.
The characters like the plot are realistic and complex in a world forged by money and power. Lionel Lane who's unconventional and the brains behind Double Vision is an idealist who's frank, honest and determined to curb world hunger with nutritious meals. His CO-CEO Maxine Gold is an aloof, hard-nosed businesswoman who projects an image of perfection. After being stalked by killers, she's still tenacious but begins to expose a soft-spot not only in her friendship with the young freestyle skier, but also in her affection for Lionel.
Amid an impressive list of characters is the wholesome, fearless, selfless and brave Reddi Christiansen an extreme sports athlete and the fresh-face image of Double Vision; Trig Garcia the dogged and clever private investigator and cyber expert; a deceptive and overly-ambitious Vice President Blaine Latrell; the unpredictable and overly-confident assassin Igor Vasilchenko and his boss, the tough and callous Antonio Fanachi. All add passion, energy and power to an intoxicating story.
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Big Disrupter" which I won through Goodreads Giveaways and highly recommend it to those who love a high-powered thriller.
But, the headaches for Lionel have only just begun when he and the other competitors in the Big Disrupter are targeted, and two are killed. In a race against time to promote their new product, accidents continue happening and Lionel, Maxine and skier Reddi Christiansen the fresh-faced young image of the company turn for help to private investigator Trig Garcia, a former Navy Seal . With the deadline approaching, betrayal and danger escalating only Trig and the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) stand between them and their enemies.
Paul Markun sets the stage with a billion dollar award much like a Nobel prize for a social enterprise that will disrupt the market for the betterment of mankind. With every death, and accident he builds intensity and suspense as the plot thickens. In the rich setting of San Francisco and Telluride Paul Markun takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride of adventure that has the main characters facing an avalanche, assault by gunmen and a high speed chase. Mesmerizing from the first page to the last, the power plays, competitiveness and action never stops. As events unfold in a plot filled with liberal doses of humor, romance and a comedy of errors that has villains biting their nails, the story progresses steadily towards a climax that's exciting and gripping.
The characters like the plot are realistic and complex in a world forged by money and power. Lionel Lane who's unconventional and the brains behind Double Vision is an idealist who's frank, honest and determined to curb world hunger with nutritious meals. His CO-CEO Maxine Gold is an aloof, hard-nosed businesswoman who projects an image of perfection. After being stalked by killers, she's still tenacious but begins to expose a soft-spot not only in her friendship with the young freestyle skier, but also in her affection for Lionel.
Amid an impressive list of characters is the wholesome, fearless, selfless and brave Reddi Christiansen an extreme sports athlete and the fresh-face image of Double Vision; Trig Garcia the dogged and clever private investigator and cyber expert; a deceptive and overly-ambitious Vice President Blaine Latrell; the unpredictable and overly-confident assassin Igor Vasilchenko and his boss, the tough and callous Antonio Fanachi. All add passion, energy and power to an intoxicating story.
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Big Disrupter" which I won through Goodreads Giveaways and highly recommend it to those who love a high-powered thriller.
February 4, 2015
I won a copy in the goodreads giveaways.
I absolutely loved this book! It was just so intense and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. And the ending to this book has got to be one of the best conclusions I have ever read in my life. Everything just came together so nicely and it stayed exciting to the very last page.
This book is about an entrepreneur named Lionel Lane who is the CEO of a company that sells nutritional drinks through a one-for-one deal where he gives one food meal to someone in need for every beverage that he sells. The whole world of social entrepreneurs is shaken up one day when a new award gets created by an anonymous donor called The Big Disrupter. The rest of the book is a race to see which company can expand and better their company as much as they can before the award is given. But there are people who are not playing by the rules and aren't scared to take some of the top contenders out permanently.
This book just seemed so realistic, like it could honestly happen in real life. All the characters are very dynamic and well thought out. They all have their own plans. And to tell you the truth, whenever I describe this book to anyone they all ask if it is a true story.
I was a little worried at how much business terms and such that would be in this book but it is just so well explained that I had no trouble following. It was actually quite interesting to learn about their marketing tactics and how investors play a role in business.
The writing was very fluid and at times it made it very hard to stop reading. It was very easy to fall into the story and get caught up in the characters problems. There were definitely some that I rooted for more than others, and some I found so despicably captivating I almost didn't want them to be caught because I wanted to see what they were going to do next.
Overall a great book and I definitely recommend it!
I absolutely loved this book! It was just so intense and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. And the ending to this book has got to be one of the best conclusions I have ever read in my life. Everything just came together so nicely and it stayed exciting to the very last page.
This book is about an entrepreneur named Lionel Lane who is the CEO of a company that sells nutritional drinks through a one-for-one deal where he gives one food meal to someone in need for every beverage that he sells. The whole world of social entrepreneurs is shaken up one day when a new award gets created by an anonymous donor called The Big Disrupter. The rest of the book is a race to see which company can expand and better their company as much as they can before the award is given. But there are people who are not playing by the rules and aren't scared to take some of the top contenders out permanently.
This book just seemed so realistic, like it could honestly happen in real life. All the characters are very dynamic and well thought out. They all have their own plans. And to tell you the truth, whenever I describe this book to anyone they all ask if it is a true story.
I was a little worried at how much business terms and such that would be in this book but it is just so well explained that I had no trouble following. It was actually quite interesting to learn about their marketing tactics and how investors play a role in business.
The writing was very fluid and at times it made it very hard to stop reading. It was very easy to fall into the story and get caught up in the characters problems. There were definitely some that I rooted for more than others, and some I found so despicably captivating I almost didn't want them to be caught because I wanted to see what they were going to do next.
Overall a great book and I definitely recommend it!
July 7, 2014
4 STARS
It starts out slow and builds and builds to more mystery, suspense & action. You don't want to stop reading. I like the characters. Some more than others. I like the idea of companies trying to do good with their profits. One company was willing to feed the poor for every bottle sold.
The plot was someone was putting one billion dollars up as a price for the company to change the world. They had judges and see what they would come up too. Lots of money that could make a lot of changes.
One of the company to be in the running is Double Vision it was close to being bankrupt. He has 24 hours to get another invest in his company and than they will expand and have a new products. Lionel and Maxine are the head of the company. They struggle to develop and put out new product in months instead of years.
Someone is trying to kill Lionel and willing to kill other company leaders. Their is violence in the book and greed of someone.
Lionel has always wanted to help others. He started a juice that was healthy. He is single. I wanted things to work out for him with his relationships. Really wanted him to survive and win the contest.
Maxine is single too. Back in college she dated Lionel but now they were just partners. I like her a lot more than I thought I would.
Reddi is a extreme skier and welder. She has dreams of being in the X games. She Meets Lionel and is signed up to be sponsored by Double Visions energy drink. She is beautiful and young. She has a great wolfdog Wolfie.
Trig was Reddi's neighbor growing up. He is a former Navy seal. He works with computers and agrees to help keep Lionel, Maxine and reddi safe. I really like Trig.
This is a longer story but it keeps you wanting to read and very fast action the latter part of the book. I enjoyed it very much.
I was given this ebook to read for me to review and be part of its blog tour. All opinions are mine.
It starts out slow and builds and builds to more mystery, suspense & action. You don't want to stop reading. I like the characters. Some more than others. I like the idea of companies trying to do good with their profits. One company was willing to feed the poor for every bottle sold.
The plot was someone was putting one billion dollars up as a price for the company to change the world. They had judges and see what they would come up too. Lots of money that could make a lot of changes.
One of the company to be in the running is Double Vision it was close to being bankrupt. He has 24 hours to get another invest in his company and than they will expand and have a new products. Lionel and Maxine are the head of the company. They struggle to develop and put out new product in months instead of years.
Someone is trying to kill Lionel and willing to kill other company leaders. Their is violence in the book and greed of someone.
Lionel has always wanted to help others. He started a juice that was healthy. He is single. I wanted things to work out for him with his relationships. Really wanted him to survive and win the contest.
Maxine is single too. Back in college she dated Lionel but now they were just partners. I like her a lot more than I thought I would.
Reddi is a extreme skier and welder. She has dreams of being in the X games. She Meets Lionel and is signed up to be sponsored by Double Visions energy drink. She is beautiful and young. She has a great wolfdog Wolfie.
Trig was Reddi's neighbor growing up. He is a former Navy seal. He works with computers and agrees to help keep Lionel, Maxine and reddi safe. I really like Trig.
This is a longer story but it keeps you wanting to read and very fast action the latter part of the book. I enjoyed it very much.
I was given this ebook to read for me to review and be part of its blog tour. All opinions are mine.
September 26, 2014
If you want to read a riveting thriller that will captivate you from beginning to end, then look no further, The Big Disrupter is the book for you!
Author Paul Markun weaves an intriguing tale that transports the readers to the mountains of Telluride, Colorado, where they follow San Francisco entrepreneur Lionel Lane and ex-girlfriend Maxine Gold, as they compete in a quest to win the coveted Big Disrupter Award, one that could propel his struggling Double Vision Beverages forward. But for Lionel, Maxine, and extreme skier Reddi Christiansen, the race is anything but easy ... especially when one by one the other competitors fall victim to tragedies, and danger lurks around every bend.
As a fan of thrillers, I was easily drawn into author Paul Markun's debut novel. It is a fast-paced story full of mystery, suspense, drama, and surprising twists and turns that held my attention, and kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. With a fascinating cast of characters, who take the reader along for the ride on their action-packed adventure; to richly descriptive settings of San Francisco and Telluride; to a thoroughly entertaining storyline that transports the reader into the action and builds upon the frenzy of competition and danger, The Big Disrupter is an exciting business thriller that you won't be able to put down!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Author Paul Markun weaves an intriguing tale that transports the readers to the mountains of Telluride, Colorado, where they follow San Francisco entrepreneur Lionel Lane and ex-girlfriend Maxine Gold, as they compete in a quest to win the coveted Big Disrupter Award, one that could propel his struggling Double Vision Beverages forward. But for Lionel, Maxine, and extreme skier Reddi Christiansen, the race is anything but easy ... especially when one by one the other competitors fall victim to tragedies, and danger lurks around every bend.
As a fan of thrillers, I was easily drawn into author Paul Markun's debut novel. It is a fast-paced story full of mystery, suspense, drama, and surprising twists and turns that held my attention, and kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. With a fascinating cast of characters, who take the reader along for the ride on their action-packed adventure; to richly descriptive settings of San Francisco and Telluride; to a thoroughly entertaining storyline that transports the reader into the action and builds upon the frenzy of competition and danger, The Big Disrupter is an exciting business thriller that you won't be able to put down!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
January 14, 2016
Book Readers Review
Mystery, Suspense, Action, Entrepreneurs and Competition are the themes of 'The Big Disrupter'. Paul Markun has produced an epic story in this his first novel that is both entertaining and educational. Markun has the gift of combining his talents in business and as a story teller. The tale starts slowly and builds into an exciting and sometimes fraught experience for the players. A plot begins to emerge that keep you turning the pages at a frantic pace to discover the outcome.
I do not need to say a whole lot more about the plot and book that the description and synopsis do not already tell you. The author has created well developed characters, some of them you will love others you may end up hating. Paul has a natural ability to tell an entertaining story and take you on a journey with his characters lives and experiences. San Francisco and mountains of Telluride, Colorado are the settings for the story. Markun's descriptive writing make you feel you are there and part of the action. The concept of social entrepreneurs and companies helping others with their profits is intriguing. I do not hesitate to recommend this book for those who like an exciting read. I received a copy from Pump up Your Book, for review as part of a blog tour. All opinions are mine and I give it 5 stars.
Read More: http://bookread-mumswritings.blogspot...
Mystery, Suspense, Action, Entrepreneurs and Competition are the themes of 'The Big Disrupter'. Paul Markun has produced an epic story in this his first novel that is both entertaining and educational. Markun has the gift of combining his talents in business and as a story teller. The tale starts slowly and builds into an exciting and sometimes fraught experience for the players. A plot begins to emerge that keep you turning the pages at a frantic pace to discover the outcome.
I do not need to say a whole lot more about the plot and book that the description and synopsis do not already tell you. The author has created well developed characters, some of them you will love others you may end up hating. Paul has a natural ability to tell an entertaining story and take you on a journey with his characters lives and experiences. San Francisco and mountains of Telluride, Colorado are the settings for the story. Markun's descriptive writing make you feel you are there and part of the action. The concept of social entrepreneurs and companies helping others with their profits is intriguing. I do not hesitate to recommend this book for those who like an exciting read. I received a copy from Pump up Your Book, for review as part of a blog tour. All opinions are mine and I give it 5 stars.
Read More: http://bookread-mumswritings.blogspot...
March 19, 2015
Yayyy another great win from goodreads. This book had enough twist and turns to keep you on your toes all the way through. It was an easy read that kept you interested from start to finish. This story was about entrepreneurs that were vying for a grand prize and had to increase their business and do good deeds for humanity at the same time. There was a villain trying to sabotage the competitors at every turn. It kept you guessing to figure out who the bad guy was. I was really thrilled with this book. Paul keep up the good work and I look forward to read more of your works. Keep up the good work.
Cheers
Lynn an avid fan
Cheers
Lynn an avid fan
October 23, 2014
This book started a little slow for me but after he first couple of chapters I began to really enjoy the book. Thank you for choosing me as as a goodreads reader. This book had a lot going on and moved quickly with a lot of twists and turns. If you chose to read this book and you think you are not going to enjoy it, give it a couple of more chapters and you will become intrigued. The premise was interesting and I thought the link between big business and social responsibility was done well
October 21, 2014
This is an amazing book which is hard to put this down. The author’s descriptive writing makes this an entertaining and exciting read. I received a copy from the First Reads program. I certainly recommend this book to everyone. I enjoyed it very much.
July 1, 2014
Great beach book.
July 23, 2016
I have not read a book like this before. I was a little worried because it was a business thriller but The Big Disrupter really blew all my expectations out of the water!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews